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• Lae-Salamaua on New Guinea was recaptured by Allied forces. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | TH]

• First Lieutenant Jay T. Robbins, a P-38 fighter pilot with US 8th Fighter Group's 80th Squadron based at Port Moresby, New Guinea who had already gained a number of victories, whilst on patrol over the invasion beachhead on northern New Guinea shot down four Japanese Zero fighters during the course of a single sortie. Then with no ammunition left, damaged controls and one engine failing he broke off the engagement with three more Japanese fighters in hot pursuit. Flying low over the sea he led the enemy over some American cruisers and destroyers that were supporting the landing operations. Anti-aircraft fire from the ships drove off the Japanese planes allowing Lieutenant Robbins' crippled aircraft to limp back to base. Robbins went on to become the fourth-ranking US ace of the Pacific war with 22 victories to his credit. ww2dbase [AC]

• 10 B-25 bombers of US 14th Air Force, escorted by P-40 fighters, attacked Tianhe Airfield in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, claiming three Japanese Zero fighters shot down. ww2dbase [Tianhe Airfield | Guangzhou, Guangdong | CPC]

• A group of British prisoners of war at Oflag IV-C camp at Colditz Castle in Germany attempted to escape by having Lieutenant Mike Sinclair dress up as the respected WW1 veteran and now camp guard Stabsfeldwebel Fritz Rothenberger. The plan nearly succeeded before one of the guards grew suspicious and asked to see the pass from "Rothenberger". As the plan fell apart, Sinclair was shot in the chest by a pistol, though he would recover from the wound. ww2dbase [Colditz Castle | Colditz, Sachsen | CPC]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Part of Air Group 16 departed. More of Fighting Squadron 5 (VF-5; Model F6F-3) arrived on board. More of Bombing Squadron 5 (VB-5; Model SBD-5) arrived on board. More of Torpedo Squadron 5 (VT-5; TBF-1) arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• Major General Matthew Ridgway and his staff, having worked all night, issued their plans for the US 82nd Airborne Division to descend on the Rome airports on the night of the Italian armistice (Operation Giant 2). This satisfied General Giuseppe Castellano, Pietro Badoglio's emissary to the Allies, that a joint Allied-Italian military co-operation against Germany could lead to the Allies giving really generous peace terms as had been promised by Dwight Eisenhower at the lengthy held conference at Cassibile on 3 September 1943. Castellano's adjutant flew to Rome in the General's private plane on the following day but, alas, General Vittorio Ambrosio, the Italian Chief of Staff of the armed forces, and his War Office Staff sat on the plans and took no action. And by the time they were passed to Badoglio for approval the Allies had already begun landing at Salerno, Italy. ww2dbase [AC]

• USS Sunfish sank Japanese ship Kozon Maru off Taiwan, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Sunfish (Gato-class) | CPC]

• USS New Mexico arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, United States. ww2dbase [Puget Sound Navy Yard | New Mexico | Bremerton, Washington | CPC]

4 Sep 1943 Interactive Map